Teaming up for the second consecutive year, the HND Graphic Design students from the Colleges Paisley campus worked closely with the Cohesion design team on the project ‘Journey of Voices’.

The project in conjunction with Life Changes Trust is designed to help provide a stronger voice for people with dementia, tasking the students to communicate the power of user stories to make changes in their day-to-day experiences.

Speaking to Euan Cameron, Director of Cohesion Medical about the collaboration he said, “As a local business, it’s important for us to help nurture the creative talents of our younger generation and help support their successful transition into the workplace.

We are delighted to be able to engage with the College again on yet another successful project.

‘This year we wanted the students to envisage how we could visually communicate our ‘Journey of Voices’ project to the wider dementia community.

'All of the students embraced the brief creating impressive thought-provoking, original pieces of work that were well presented.”

Three design awards were presented to students Gary Wilson, Liam Kennedy and Ewa Kaminska with the three merit awards going to Maja Adamiak, Dale Bandoni and Kyle Fraser.

Cohesions Liam Mitchel, student Gary Wilson, Liam Kennedy, Ewa Kaminska and Cohesions Sophie Hamilton

The winning students were all in agreement on how beneficial working with real clients is for their development and portfolios and how their work being acknowledged in this way gave them a real confidence boost.

20 year-old Gary Wilson, commented, “The live client project with Cohesion Medical was a completely different experience and one I will always remember.

'It helped me realise just how important it is to meet with clients and establish deadlines to keep yourself on track. The feedback I received was essential and allowed me to continue my project with a whole new vision.”

Also speaking of her experience was 30 year-old Ewa Kaminska, “I really appreciate being given the opportunity to work with Cohesion.

'Thinking about people with dementia and the way they see and experience the world has changed the way I think of design, its importance and its components.

Being one of the winners has made me more confident about my design and skills and has allowed me to see myself as a professional designer in the future.

Keen to ensure her students gain valuable industry experience to enhance their employment opportunities, lecturer Lola Paterson commented, “This experience contributes greatly to the students articulating onto university or future employment.

‘This has been an incredible opportunity for our students who have responded with an excellent professional standard of work.

‘Cohesion very kindly offered Ewa a fantastic work placement where she produced a small animation for the dementia project.

'I hope that our successful partnership can continue benefiting future Graphic Design students.”